TypeScript support added to Create React App

offtopic, but I'm in the middle of trying to convince my small team to pick up typescript for a new significant node backend for our company. It seems like a no-brainer from my perspective. Compilation is fast, we would use `strict` but would allow devs to default to `any` if the types got too hard. There are no downsides but so many upsides - better refactoring, intellisense, documentation, communication of interfaces, protection against the javascript and library minefields. Glad to see there are lots of other people thinking this is valuable - wish I could figure out the right way to convince my team.

Re: TypeScript support added to Create React App

#7

Post by lj3 » Mon, Oct 22, 2018, 11:46 PM UTC

netcraft wrote: post #6

offtopic, but I'm in the middle of trying to convince my small team to pick up typescript for a new significant node backend for our company. It seems like a no-brainer from my perspective. Compilation is fast, we would use `strict` but would allow devs to default to `any` if the types got too hard. There are no downsides but so many upsides - better refactoring, intellisense, documentation, communication of interfac…

Who's in charge of making the decision to switch? What are his priorities? What problems is he trying to solve? How does switching to typescript help him do that better/faster/cheaper/easier?

Re: TypeScript support added to Create React App

#8

Post by netcraft » Mon, Oct 22, 2018, 11:50 PM UTC

lj3 wrote: post #7

netcraft wrote: post #6

offtopic, but I'm in the middle of trying to convince my small team to pick up typescript for a new significant node backend for our company. It seems like a no-brainer from my perspective. Compilation is fast, we would use `strict` but would allow devs to default to `any` if the types got too hard. There are no downsides but so many upsides - better refactoring, intellisense, documentation, communication of interfac…

Who's in charge of making the decision to switch? What are his priorities? What problems is he trying to solve? How does switching to typescript help him do that better/faster/cheaper/easier?

Thats the problem, I dont really have answers to those questions about his priorities/motivations/reservations yet - just that there are some. Hope to find out soon.

Re: TypeScript support added to Create React App

#9

Post by jczhang » Mon, Oct 22, 2018, 11:55 PM UTC

netcraft wrote: post #6

offtopic, but I'm in the middle of trying to convince my small team to pick up typescript for a new significant node backend for our company. It seems like a no-brainer from my perspective. Compilation is fast, we would use `strict` but would allow devs to default to `any` if the types got too hard. There are no downsides but so many upsides - better refactoring, intellisense, documentation, communication of interfac…

why not just ask how they feel about it and try to address concerns if they come up?

Re: TypeScript support added to Create React App

#10

Post by ergothus » Mon, Oct 22, 2018, 11:55 PM UTC

netcraft wrote: post #6

offtopic, but I'm in the middle of trying to convince my small team to pick up typescript for a new significant node backend for our company. It seems like a no-brainer from my perspective. Compilation is fast, we would use `strict` but would allow devs to default to `any` if the types got too hard. There are no downsides but so many upsides - better refactoring, intellisense, documentation, communication of interfac…

> There are no downsides but so many upsides

I've not used TS, but from what I've read the types from TS are not js compatible, so once you go into TS you have code that just isnt js.

(As opposed to flow, where you can just have it not be used)

While transpiling is normal, I'm as hesitant to tie myself to TS as I am to, say, a non-standard decorators syntax. Anyone coming to me with "there are no downsides" in such a case doesnt sound very credible.

Assuming I'm wrong, how would you address this?